order / sequence
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order / sequence
The fixed or logical sequence in which people, things, or events follow one another; the order.
Bitte stellen Sie die Bücher in alphabetischer Reihenfolge ins Regal.
Please put the books on the shelf in alphabetical order.
The word is composed of 'die Reihe' (a line or series of things) and 'die Folge' (a sequence). So 'Reihenfolge' is literally the 'sequence of the row.'
Die Autos standen in einer langen Reihe an der Ampel.
The cars were standing in a long line at the traffic light.
To describe a specific order, the preposition 'in' is almost always used. Typical expressions are 'in der richtigen Reihenfolge' (in the correct order) or 'in alphabetischer Reihenfolge' (in alphabetical order).
Die Schüler stellten sich der Größe nach in einer Reihenfolge auf.
The students lined up in order of height.
Common verbs are 'die Reihenfolge einhalten' (to keep to the order), 'festlegen' (to determine), or 'ändern' (to change). The type of order is often described more precisely with an adjective, e.g., 'chronologische' (chronological), 'alphabetische' (alphabetical), or 'zufällige' (random) Reihenfolge.
Wir müssen die Reihenfolge der Redner noch festlegen.
We still need to determine the order of the speakers.
consequence / episode
Die Folge can refer to the ordered whole made up of several steps or events. Reihenfolge, by contrast, focuses primarily on the order in which these steps take place. Use Folge when you mean the process as a whole, and Reihenfolge when the relative arrangement is crucial.
Bitte prüfe die Reihenfolge der Arbeitsschritte vor dem Start.
Please check the order of the work steps before starting.
Die Folge der Arbeitsschritte ist im Handbuch genau beschrieben.
The sequence of the work steps is described in detail in the manual.
